Selected Podcast
Ep. 13: Celebrating Nurses – Champions for Health and Excellence
Roxanna Gapstur, President and CEO of WellSpan Health, is joined by Kris O'Shea, Senior Vice President, and Chief Nursing Officer to discuss the Year of the Nurse and how WellSpan is celebrating.
Featuring:
In January 2019, Roxanna Gapstur assumed the role of President and CEO of WellSpan Health. She has over 25 years of healthcare leadership experience working in group practice, academic, and integrated health care systems which included health plan operations. Prior to her appointment at WellSpan, Dr. Gapstur was a senior vice president and president within the HealthPartners system in Bloomington, Minn.
Dr. Gapstur has extensive experience in strategic planning, business development and operational leadership in both ambulatory and hospital settings. She has served in multiple executive roles including chief operating officer, chief nursing officer and as a senior executive accountable for population health.
Dr. Gapstur obtained her bachelor’s degree from the College of St. Catherine in St. Paul, Minn., and her master’s degree and doctorate from the University of Minnesota.
She was named a “Top 35 Women in Healthcare Leader” by Minnesota Women’s Health Leadership Trust in 2014. Dr. Gapstur has participated as a member and president of non-profit boards, including the Greater Twin Cities United Way, Minnesota Chapter of the National Hemophilia Foundation and the Minnesota Organization of Leaders in Nursing.
Kristen (Kris) O'Shea, MSN | Roxanna Gapstur, PhD, RN
Kristen (Kris) O'Shea, MSN is the Senior Vice President and Chief Nursing Officer.In January 2019, Roxanna Gapstur assumed the role of President and CEO of WellSpan Health. She has over 25 years of healthcare leadership experience working in group practice, academic, and integrated health care systems which included health plan operations. Prior to her appointment at WellSpan, Dr. Gapstur was a senior vice president and president within the HealthPartners system in Bloomington, Minn.
Dr. Gapstur has extensive experience in strategic planning, business development and operational leadership in both ambulatory and hospital settings. She has served in multiple executive roles including chief operating officer, chief nursing officer and as a senior executive accountable for population health.
Dr. Gapstur obtained her bachelor’s degree from the College of St. Catherine in St. Paul, Minn., and her master’s degree and doctorate from the University of Minnesota.
She was named a “Top 35 Women in Healthcare Leader” by Minnesota Women’s Health Leadership Trust in 2014. Dr. Gapstur has participated as a member and president of non-profit boards, including the Greater Twin Cities United Way, Minnesota Chapter of the National Hemophilia Foundation and the Minnesota Organization of Leaders in Nursing.
Transcription:
Michael Carrese: Welcome to Inspiring Health, a series of conversations with Roxanna Gapstur and other WellSpan leaders about WellSpan 2025. I'm Michael Carrese. Roxanna, nice to be with you again.
Dr. Roxanna Gapstur: Nice to be with you, Michael.
Host: And what are we going to be tackling today?
Dr. Gapstur: Today we're talking about 2020 as the year of the nurse and midwife, and we're also talking about WellSpan's culture of nursing excellence.
Host: And who's our special guest?
Dr. Gapstur: My guest today is Kris O'Shea, our Chief Nurse Executive.
Host: So you're a nurse by background. Talk a bit about how that shaped you and your career.
Dr. Gapstur: I think being a nurse really helped me understand the patient journey and how we need to advocate for patients to improve health. I've been so fortunate in my nursing career to start out as an oncology nurse for 22 years. It really taught me the value of walking alongside our patients on that journey toward health. It's something that is very intimate and very sacred, when you have that opportunity to build that kind of trust with a patient and really make a difference in their life. It also has been a big factor in my leadership career just in terms of being able to influence the lives of multiple patients versus one patient at a time. So part of the reason I got into leadership was to make a bigger impact. I do think it's really important though, for us to acknowledge that every single day we have nurses and care teams that are working individually with patients and families, and that's a critical role in our health system.
Host: Absolutely. So why do you think it's important to celebrate nursing?
Dr. Gapstur: I think it's important to acknowledge that nurses are leading change in improving health in our country today. That nursing excellence is a priority and an important part of the quality and safety of any healthcare organization. It's also something to think about in terms of the roles that nurses play in our healthcare systems today. Nurses are at the front lines in everything from research and home care to inpatient nursing to ambulatory settings, and they're making a difference in every single one of those locations.
Host: So, Kris O'Shea, we heard about Roxanna's background in nursing just a bit there. Why don't you start by telling us about your journey as a nurse.
Kris O'Shea: Thank you Michael. I've had a really eclectic background, did a lot of work in a whole variety of different areas and probably at the time I didn't realize that it was building a career. I started actually at WellSpan in 1988 so I have been here as not only a staff nurse but as a manager director, and now I really have the honor of being the chief nurse for the system. And it really is been an amazing journey. I love working for WellSpan and the work that we do for our communities, and really feel that it couldn't have been a better career.
Host: So Kris, aside from the celebrations, what are some ongoing ways that WellSpan is investing in nurses?
Kris: We really believe in growing staff and we have programs for new nurses. And actually for people pre-nursing, so that we support the education of our staff who want to become nurses. We provide a residency program for our new nurses. It's a year long and really involves support of them as they're going through that transition into practice. Once a nurse is working here, there are many opportunities for growth and development through our clinical ladder program, through educational support for academic work and for conferences that occur throughout the year. Additionally, we have begun working on creating methods for nurses to explore careers in leadership. We have a nurse manager residency, as well as the Nursing Leadership Academy, which really takes some of our best and brightest and give them opportunities to see the system through different lenses. I really love the fact that we support our nurses through a whole host of different ways to build their careers.
Host: So, Kris, why don't you tell us more about the year of the nurse? Where did that designation come from?
Kris: The World Health Organization has named 2020 the year of the nurse and midwife and it really is an effort to recognize the huge impact of nursing really around the world. The World Health Organization says that nurses really are the bridge between our complex health systems and the communities. And so as I look at our nurses across WellSpan, they are doing incredible things and love the idea of using this entire year to celebrate what they've been doing.
Host: So, Kris, why does WellSpan want to have an active role in this celebration and recognition?
Kris: Oh, it's a wonderful opportunity for us to really recognize our nurses at WellSpan, and nurses really are the heart of all that we do. As I look at it, the caring that they express and the work that they do does need a year of celebration. We're really trying to build a culture where we recognize our employees well and have fun while we're doing it. And I think the year of the nurse is our opportunity to do that. Nurses really are champions for health from the outpatient settings to the hospitals and into our community through our VNA services and community health services.
Host: So tell us some of the ways the WellSpan is going to be celebrating the year of the nurse.
Kris: Oh, we have a great year planned. We have a committee comprised of nurses from across our system who have been actively brainstorming and thinking about activities that it can occur all across the system. We have some activities that are just for fun. An example is we're going to all attend some baseball games locally and cheer on our local teams, be recognized on the field. Additionally, we have events that will occur all through the year. The year of the nurse really is based on Florence Nightingale who I consider kind of the mother of modern nursing and Florence Nightingale's birthday is May 12th each year and this is her 200th birthday. And so we are going to have a big bash during nurse's week this year. Expect to see some excellent celebrations on May 12th
Host: So, Roxanna, how does all this work align with WellSpan's culture of nursing excellence?
Dr. Gapstur: One of the ways at WellSpan that we foster a culture of nursing excellence is to ensure that we're following the highest standards of care. And some of the examples of that within WellSpan are the journey that some of our hospitals have been on around pathway to excellence. And around magnet. We are very excited for the work that has been done in these areas and we believe it is raising our nursing practice to a new level and our nurses are a big part of that. As highly skilled professionals, our nurses bring value to every single one of our care teams. They are often the ones who are providing surveillance on symptoms, identifying problems before they happen and creating better patient outcomes. We're going to be highlighting stories of how our nurses have contributed to patient care and to the health of our communities throughout the year, and they will be very compelling stories Michael.
Host: Oh, I'm sure. And Kris, I'm sure there's nurses listening, wondering how they can get in on the fun. So talk about some ways they can participate and tell their story as a nurse.
Kris: Yeah, it is so important to be able to tell those stories and to see the impact that each one has on the lives of our patients and our communities. We have set up a survey that was sent out to all of the nurses here at WellSpan. It was sent by Christina Martin, and if a nurse has not received that survey to share her story, you can also send those stories to myself, Kris O'Shea, or to Christina Martin, or give it to your nurse manager. We really are anxious to collect those stories and to really showcase the impact that our nurses have at WellSpan Health. As Roxanna mentioned, really nurses are the cornerstone of quality and patient safety. They're watching all the time what's going on with their patients and really at the point of care for the patient. So we're anxious to collect your stories and have those shared with our colleagues across WellSpan.
Host: Yeah, it sounds like it's going to be a lot of fun this year. I'm afraid we're going to have to wrap it up there, but you've been listening to Inspiring Health, a series of conversations with Roxanna Gapstur, and other WellSpan leaders about WellSpan 2025. Roxanna's guest today was Kris O'Shea, Chief Nursing Executive. I'm Michael Carrese, thanks for joining us.
Michael Carrese: Welcome to Inspiring Health, a series of conversations with Roxanna Gapstur and other WellSpan leaders about WellSpan 2025. I'm Michael Carrese. Roxanna, nice to be with you again.
Dr. Roxanna Gapstur: Nice to be with you, Michael.
Host: And what are we going to be tackling today?
Dr. Gapstur: Today we're talking about 2020 as the year of the nurse and midwife, and we're also talking about WellSpan's culture of nursing excellence.
Host: And who's our special guest?
Dr. Gapstur: My guest today is Kris O'Shea, our Chief Nurse Executive.
Host: So you're a nurse by background. Talk a bit about how that shaped you and your career.
Dr. Gapstur: I think being a nurse really helped me understand the patient journey and how we need to advocate for patients to improve health. I've been so fortunate in my nursing career to start out as an oncology nurse for 22 years. It really taught me the value of walking alongside our patients on that journey toward health. It's something that is very intimate and very sacred, when you have that opportunity to build that kind of trust with a patient and really make a difference in their life. It also has been a big factor in my leadership career just in terms of being able to influence the lives of multiple patients versus one patient at a time. So part of the reason I got into leadership was to make a bigger impact. I do think it's really important though, for us to acknowledge that every single day we have nurses and care teams that are working individually with patients and families, and that's a critical role in our health system.
Host: Absolutely. So why do you think it's important to celebrate nursing?
Dr. Gapstur: I think it's important to acknowledge that nurses are leading change in improving health in our country today. That nursing excellence is a priority and an important part of the quality and safety of any healthcare organization. It's also something to think about in terms of the roles that nurses play in our healthcare systems today. Nurses are at the front lines in everything from research and home care to inpatient nursing to ambulatory settings, and they're making a difference in every single one of those locations.
Host: So, Kris O'Shea, we heard about Roxanna's background in nursing just a bit there. Why don't you start by telling us about your journey as a nurse.
Kris O'Shea: Thank you Michael. I've had a really eclectic background, did a lot of work in a whole variety of different areas and probably at the time I didn't realize that it was building a career. I started actually at WellSpan in 1988 so I have been here as not only a staff nurse but as a manager director, and now I really have the honor of being the chief nurse for the system. And it really is been an amazing journey. I love working for WellSpan and the work that we do for our communities, and really feel that it couldn't have been a better career.
Host: So Kris, aside from the celebrations, what are some ongoing ways that WellSpan is investing in nurses?
Kris: We really believe in growing staff and we have programs for new nurses. And actually for people pre-nursing, so that we support the education of our staff who want to become nurses. We provide a residency program for our new nurses. It's a year long and really involves support of them as they're going through that transition into practice. Once a nurse is working here, there are many opportunities for growth and development through our clinical ladder program, through educational support for academic work and for conferences that occur throughout the year. Additionally, we have begun working on creating methods for nurses to explore careers in leadership. We have a nurse manager residency, as well as the Nursing Leadership Academy, which really takes some of our best and brightest and give them opportunities to see the system through different lenses. I really love the fact that we support our nurses through a whole host of different ways to build their careers.
Host: So, Kris, why don't you tell us more about the year of the nurse? Where did that designation come from?
Kris: The World Health Organization has named 2020 the year of the nurse and midwife and it really is an effort to recognize the huge impact of nursing really around the world. The World Health Organization says that nurses really are the bridge between our complex health systems and the communities. And so as I look at our nurses across WellSpan, they are doing incredible things and love the idea of using this entire year to celebrate what they've been doing.
Host: So, Kris, why does WellSpan want to have an active role in this celebration and recognition?
Kris: Oh, it's a wonderful opportunity for us to really recognize our nurses at WellSpan, and nurses really are the heart of all that we do. As I look at it, the caring that they express and the work that they do does need a year of celebration. We're really trying to build a culture where we recognize our employees well and have fun while we're doing it. And I think the year of the nurse is our opportunity to do that. Nurses really are champions for health from the outpatient settings to the hospitals and into our community through our VNA services and community health services.
Host: So tell us some of the ways the WellSpan is going to be celebrating the year of the nurse.
Kris: Oh, we have a great year planned. We have a committee comprised of nurses from across our system who have been actively brainstorming and thinking about activities that it can occur all across the system. We have some activities that are just for fun. An example is we're going to all attend some baseball games locally and cheer on our local teams, be recognized on the field. Additionally, we have events that will occur all through the year. The year of the nurse really is based on Florence Nightingale who I consider kind of the mother of modern nursing and Florence Nightingale's birthday is May 12th each year and this is her 200th birthday. And so we are going to have a big bash during nurse's week this year. Expect to see some excellent celebrations on May 12th
Host: So, Roxanna, how does all this work align with WellSpan's culture of nursing excellence?
Dr. Gapstur: One of the ways at WellSpan that we foster a culture of nursing excellence is to ensure that we're following the highest standards of care. And some of the examples of that within WellSpan are the journey that some of our hospitals have been on around pathway to excellence. And around magnet. We are very excited for the work that has been done in these areas and we believe it is raising our nursing practice to a new level and our nurses are a big part of that. As highly skilled professionals, our nurses bring value to every single one of our care teams. They are often the ones who are providing surveillance on symptoms, identifying problems before they happen and creating better patient outcomes. We're going to be highlighting stories of how our nurses have contributed to patient care and to the health of our communities throughout the year, and they will be very compelling stories Michael.
Host: Oh, I'm sure. And Kris, I'm sure there's nurses listening, wondering how they can get in on the fun. So talk about some ways they can participate and tell their story as a nurse.
Kris: Yeah, it is so important to be able to tell those stories and to see the impact that each one has on the lives of our patients and our communities. We have set up a survey that was sent out to all of the nurses here at WellSpan. It was sent by Christina Martin, and if a nurse has not received that survey to share her story, you can also send those stories to myself, Kris O'Shea, or to Christina Martin, or give it to your nurse manager. We really are anxious to collect those stories and to really showcase the impact that our nurses have at WellSpan Health. As Roxanna mentioned, really nurses are the cornerstone of quality and patient safety. They're watching all the time what's going on with their patients and really at the point of care for the patient. So we're anxious to collect your stories and have those shared with our colleagues across WellSpan.
Host: Yeah, it sounds like it's going to be a lot of fun this year. I'm afraid we're going to have to wrap it up there, but you've been listening to Inspiring Health, a series of conversations with Roxanna Gapstur, and other WellSpan leaders about WellSpan 2025. Roxanna's guest today was Kris O'Shea, Chief Nursing Executive. I'm Michael Carrese, thanks for joining us.